From Old Turkic𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀‎ (bilge, “wise”), from 𐰋𐰃𐰠‎ (bil-, “to know”) + 𐰏𐰀‎ (-ge). Compare bil-(“to know”). Fallen into disuse since the 15th century, but revived in 1935 in the campaign by the Türk Dil Kurumu to replace many loanwords by words with pure Turkic roots.